Mark O’Rorke remembers it like it was yesterday. He was in the stands for Billy Graham’s 1984 Crusade at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England.
“His voice was so tremendous, powerful. When he started speaking, I got shivers,” O’Rorke said.
“I can still remember his invitation to ‘get out of your seats and come down’, and boy, did they come down.”
Three of then-18-year-old O’Rorke’s friends went forward at Graham’s invitation that night.
“It was a special time,” he said.
Nearly 40 years later, he has a passion to see more people meet Jesus at the upcoming Franklin Graham God Loves You Tour events in Birmingham and then 300 miles to the north in Glasgow, Scotland.
That’s why he’s volunteering at the Birmingham event, which will take place on June 15 in Resorts World Arena—a short drive from Villa Park.
“It’s interesting that 40 years later, we are seeing Billy Graham’s son come,” he said.
Over 50 people from his church—and many friends and family members who don’t know Christ—are filling up a bus to head to the event.
“We live in a very somber and depressive world right now, and I think people are looking for faith,” O’Rorke said. “As believers, we have hope. I pray that people would come seeking that hope.”
More than 400 churches across the country are supporting the upcoming tour in prayer, some hosting Christian Life and Witness Classes (CLWC)—trainings that equip Christians to more confidently share their faith.
So far, churches have come together for 70 training seminars and worship nights ahead of the tour—uniting to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
“I want for everyone who is going to go through the those doors [on June 15] to sense joy, peace, and happiness, and when the invitation is given, that [local believers] get to see them go forward to accept Christ,” said Joe Kim, City Tour Director for the event.
“We are very much looking forward to what God is going to do.”
>>Please pray for the God Loves You Tour on June 15 in Birmingham and in Glasgow, Scotland the following weekend.
